Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

March 4, 2025

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published Monday to Friday, equipping you to achieve your professional goals faster and without burnout or overwhelm by leveraging The Triple Win Method.

Stop Hiding Half of Who You Are at Work

Howdy ,

I’m going to do something today.

I am going to share my simple approach to creating a consistent workplace brand.

In simple terms, understanding this will create consistency for you in how you show at work. More than that, it will add consistency to how you show in life.

You will not be multiple personalities - just one.

I am sure you know stories of people who show up one way at work and hide the other side of themselves from everyone else.

Miranda Priestly, in the movie, " The Devil Wears Prada " is a demanding and intimidating boss at a fashion magazine. However, there are peekaboo glimpses of her softer side in her personal life.

So, why is this a problem?

Work is one of those places where you spend most of your waking time in a day. Let's get the full you on display. It's the winning strategy for long-term success career and an impactful personal life with all your important relationships.

✅Creating a Value-Based Brand

Now that I have set you up for something to look forward to, let's get into the real meat.

To develop a workplace brand which shows up consistently to everyone, you need to have a value-based brand.

Your brand should be an expression of the things that matter most to you - your values.

Easier said than done, right?

✅The Power of Your Top 3 Values

Let me show you how.

No matter how many values you have, you generally orbit around your top 3 values.

Why 3?

Because anything more would be too much to handle for you.

Why do you think some of the most popular stories and principles revolve around "Three"?

"The Three Blind Mice", "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly", "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness", "Ready, set, go", "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil", "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", "The Three Musketeers", "The Three Little Pigs", "Blood, Sweat and Tears", and I could go on and on.

✅From Values to Value Statements

I won't go through the process of identifying your top 3 values here - that's a separate process.

Today, we are focused on defining your brand using your values.

In addition to having your values, the sweet spot is defining how you will know you are living your values. I call these value statements.

To make things easier, I'll be your test subject for today.

✅Values in Action: Real-World Examples

My top 3 values are Faith, Family & Freedom.

Here are my value statements

Faith : I want to live to the highest ideals of my faith so that I can give others value through my faith.

Family : I want to create a nurturing environment where people are free to speak.

Freedom : I want to work and live in a way that allows me and the people around me to express my creativity.

Let me explain how I live this at work.

✅Living My Values

Faith: I want to live to the highest ideals of my faith so that I can give others value through my faith.

I am consistently looking for ways to deepen my Christian faith experience and see how I can serve others better through it.

Once upon a time, I was interviewing a young chap for a role in my team. My boss and my assistant team lead also interviewed the chap.

When it came to decision time, they both said "No". I said "Yes".

I felt something strongly in me that we should take this guy. He was still working on his degree part-time at UNILAG so he didn't have any strong academic qualifications.

I guess I had some measure of credibility with my boss for him to let me take him on despite his varying opinions.

Months later, my assistant remarked that the guy had proved her wrong. He was a huge asset to the team.

She said, "It must have been the Holy Spirit leading you."

That is how I live my faith value at work.

Ready for one more?

Family: I want to create a nurturing environment where people are free to speak.

I once had an assistant team lead who had a very strong personality. Not everybody liked her approach – I did.

Why?

Because this is who she is and we can’t all have the same personality at work. I didn’t at any time minimize her strong personality.

I recall someone asking if I felt threatened by her – she was also older than me.

Nope – I never felt threatened.

Her personality did not get in the way of her doing her job. We remained good friends till today years after we had both left the company we worked at.

✅My Brand: Navigating with Purpose

The combination of all three defines my brand - The North Star.

The North Star in the sky helps navigators determine their direction. These values help me live up to the North Star ideal at work and in life. It is relevant at work, with family, friends and people I engage with every day.

✅Now It's Your Turn

This is how your values define your brand.

A brand that remains consistent at work and in life.

Fellow Workplace Multipliers,

You can do it.

You can win at work and in life.

Tola Akinsulire

Your Strategic Workplace Mentor

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Want to get in on some of the lessons I have picked up in my career? Get my eBook "21 Lessons I Learned in My Career - A Primer to Help You Become Better at Work". Get it here

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